1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an exercise device. More particularly, it relates to an exercise device which utilizes rubber exercise tubing for resistance training.
2. Prior Art
A variety of exercise devices have been proposed and are in use today for the exercise of virtually every muscle of the human body. Many xe2x80x9cuniversalxe2x80x9d machines have been proposed for providing a full range of exercises. Popular home devices are sold under the trade names xe2x80x9cBowflexxe2x80x9d with uses elongated rods for resistance and xe2x80x9cSoloflexxe2x80x9d which uses expensive weight straps for resistance.
It is also well known in the art to utilize elastic rubber exercise tubing for resistance training. Such product is a common, affordable and effective means of applying resistance to a muscle for improved strength, speed, power and rehabilitation. Round rubber exercise tubing may be utilized alone or in combination with an anchor strap or a hook on one end. A user attachment or a handle may be provided on the other end. Such round rubber exercise tubing provides for differing levels of resistance as the user moves closer or further away from the tubing anchor point. Because of this, often significant space is needed to achieve proper resistance. Resistance may also be changed by changing the tubing diameter. Such rubber exercise tubing is a common commercially available product.
Existing uses for such rubber exercise tubing have a number of drawbacks. The first drawback or problem relates to the need to find a suitable anchor point. Finding a safe anchor location in a convenient training area can often prove to be a challenge. Additionally, when a user finds such an anchor point, it seldom allows the user to make a vertical adjustment and thereby limits the user to certain exercise choices. Such anchor point also rarely provides a method of horizontal adjustment, again limiting exercise choice. Further, as stated above, the user must move away from the anchor point to increase the resistance which can prove to be a problem in an area of confined space or where there are crowded conditions.
One answer to the problem is to provide a permanent anchor point in the area where exercise is to take place. This may be a costly undertaking and thereafter limits the user to exercising in the same location. Also, portable units which can be affixed to a wall or a door are known such as, for example, commercially available units such as the xe2x80x9cLifeline OTW Gym 2000xe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cLifeline Portable Gymxe2x80x9d or the xe2x80x9cS.O.S. Gym 4000xe2x80x9d. While these units do provide vertical adjustment capabilities for more exercise choice, they require the need for a wall, door or structure on which to mount such unit. These commercially available units must rely on the use of chairs and stools to accommodate popular leg extension, leg curl and rotator cuff exercises.
There remains a need for a portable, inexpensive exercise device which utilizes rubber exercise tubing for resistance training. There remains a need for such a portable device which can be easily collapsed for storage and which can provide not only vertical adjustment of an anchor point but also horizontal adjustment. There further remains a need for a device which can be utilized in a confined space which may or may not be near a door or wall.
The present invention provides an exercise device which in its simplest form includes a base, a vertical upright member attached to said base, at least one roller attached to said vertical upright member, a ratcheting hand crank mounted to said upright member at a location spaced from said at least one roller and at least one length of exercise tubing, said at least one length of exercise tubing having a first portion attached to said ratcheting hand crank, said at least one length of exercise tubing extending partially around said at least one roller and said at least one length of exercise tubing having a second end extending away from said roller whereby resistance is provided to a user who pulls upon said second end of said at least one length of exercise tubing and whereby the amount of resistance may be adjusted by altering an available length of said exercise tubing with said hand crank.
A preferred embodiment of the invention said at least one roller is attached to a first clamp member, said first clamp member is removably attached to said vertical upright member at one first clamp location selected from a plurality of vertical first clamp locations on said upright member and said first clamp member adapted for movement to any other of said plurality of vertical first clamp locations on said upright member.
Preferably, said at least one roller is a pair of rollers which extend outwardly from opposite sides of said first clamp member. Said pair of rollers are adapted for rotation in a common axis of rotation.
Preferably, said at least one length of exercise tubing comprises two lengths of exercise tubing with each length of exercise tubing extending partially around one of two rollers.
Preferably, each length of exercise tubing has a first portion comprising a first end.
Preferably, the ratcheting hand crank is attached to a second clamp member, said second clamp member removably attached to said vertical upright member at one second clamp location selected from a plurality of vertical second clamp locations on said upright member and said second clamp adapted for movement to any other of said plurality of vertical second clamp locations on said upright member. The second clamp member may have an identical structure to said first clamp member or may have a slightly modified structure as may be required to mount the ratcheting hand crank.
Preferably, the base of the present invention is generally rectangular and is comprised of a first plate member and a second plate member with said first plate member and said second plate member pivotally connected to one another whereby said base can be collapsed and folded with said first plate member and said second plate member positioned on top of one another when not in use and unfolded when in use with said first plate member and said second plate member each lying flat upon a floor or other generally flat surface. Preferably, the base has a upright support member adapted to removably receive and secure the vertical upright member when said device is in use and which allows said upright member to be removed for storage when said device is not in use.
Preferably, the present invention further comprises a removable seat member, said seat member having a seat portion with a first end thereof removably secured to said vertical upright member, said seat member also having at least one pivotally attached leg which pivots between a collapsed storage position and an open use position wherein said seat leg extends downwardly and is supported by said base member.
Preferably, the seat member is an elongated bench member which also allows the user to recline thereon. Still further, the bench member preferably has a fold down leg with a roller member mounted on each side thereof to facilitate hamstring and quadricep exercises.
The base member also preferably has at least one recess therein, each said recess containing a base roller to allow fro insertion of at least one length of exercise tubing at least partially around said base roller to permit exercises with at least one length of exercise tubing connected to the base.
Preferably, the vertical upright member is composed of a lower upright member which is removably attached to said base and an upper upright member which is removably attached to said lower upright member.
Preferably, said at least one roller is attached to said vertical upright member and is mounted for rotation on an axle which is transverse to said upright member.
Further, it is preferred that each of said at least one roller has a collar at opposite ends of such roller whereby said collars restrain transverse movement of said at least one length of exercise tubing.
In one alternative embodiment of the invention said at least one roller may be mounted for rotation on said axle at plural locations at varying distances from said vertical upright member.
In another alternative embodiment of the invention, each of said at least one roller has a plurality of collars thereon to allow said at least one length of exercise tubing to be restrained in any of plural desired transverse locations at varying distances from said vertical upright member.
Preferably, a grip handle is attached to said second end of said at least one exercise tubing.
Still further, it is preferred that the ratcheting hand crank includes attaching means to removably attach said at least one length of exercise tubing.
One form of the attaching means is a hook provided on said ratcheting hand crank.
An alternative attaching means is a hole provided through said ratcheting hand crank.